Tourist Attempts to Touch Statue’s Carved Private Parts in Florence – What Happened Next

The tourist, identified as a 28-year-old woman, intended to ‘touch’ the statue’s carved private parts, officials said.

A 28-year-old woman has been charged with damaging a historic fountain in Florence after attempting to touch the statue of Neptune’s genitals as part of a pre-wedding dare.

The woman climbed over protective barriers and onto the Fountain of Neptune in Piazza della Signoria on Saturday, April 19, 2026, according to statements from Florence’s city council. She was quickly spotted by municipal police and removed from the monument.

Officials said her intention was to ‘touch’ the statue’s carved private parts, a challenge issued by her friends as part of a pre-marital stunt. She told police she entered the fountain by climbing over both the railing and the edge of the basin, then climbed directly onto the legs of the horse carrying the shell to avoid entering the water.

An inspection by specialists from the Fabbrica di Palazzo Vecchio the following day confirmed minor but significant damage to both the hooves of the horses she had stepped on and to a frieze she had held onto to prevent slipping. The damage was assessed at €5,000 (approximately £4,340 or $5,400).

The inspection revealed small but significant damage to both the hooves of the horses she had ridden and to a frieze she had held onto to prevent slipping.

Florence’s city council

The woman has been reported to judicial authorities for defacing an artistic and architectural monument. Police charged her with damaging a cultural heritage site under Italian law.

The Fountain of Neptune, sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati, was commissioned in 1559 by Cosimo I de’ Medici to celebrate the marriage of his son, Francesco I de’ Medici, to Joanna of Austria. It stands as a prominent example of Mannerist art in Florence and is located at the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of the city’s municipal government.

The fountain of Neptune in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence was commissioned in 1559. Photograph: FredP/Alamy

The Guardian

Experts noted that even minor contact with centuries-old marble can accelerate deterioration and compromise structural integrity over time. The incident has renewed calls for stricter safeguards around Italy’s irreplaceable cultural landmarks.

What we have is not the first incident involving the fountain; CCTV cameras were installed in 2005 after a previous visitor climbed the statue, breaking one of its hands and damaging the chariot. Authorities continue to monitor the site to prevent further damage to the Renaissance-era monument.